Introduction Poslec SETA is a public entity registered in terms of the Skills Development Act, which derives its Education Training Quality Assurance (ETQA) role from the South African Quality Assurance Act).

In the roll-out of the Firearms Control Act, Poslec SETA acts as a support agency to the South African Police Services Central Firearms Register.

The principle function performed by Poslec SETA, as required by the Firearms Control Act Regulations is the Accreditation of Firearm Training Providers.

The accreditation of training providers is a holistic term that includes the following activities:

1. Paper evaluation of the management systems of applicant training providers.
2. Comprehensive evaluation of training programmes. Material is evaluated in terms of outcomes-based education (OBE) principles, as well as the technical accuracy of the content. In the latter instance, Poslec SETA uses subject matter experts to assess technical accuracy.
3. A site visit to verify the existence of documentation and systems claimed; an evaluation of the facilities that will be used for training and verification of identities of training personnel.
4. Submission of a recommendation by the SETA ETQA team to the Stakeholder ETQA committee, who grants or declines accreditation status to the provider.

The entire process, assuming correct submission of documentation and co-operation by the provider, is approximately 6 weeks.

1. Poslec SETA and SAPS held their first joint public information workshop in Pretoria during October 2003. Since then 30 joint workshops have been held in all of the provinces in South Africa.
2. The smallest group of people attending such a joint information workshop consisted of 12 people in Lichtenburg (North West Province), while the largest number attending the workshops was 210 people in Uvongo, South Coast (Kwa-Zulu Natal).
3. Training providers were very slow in responding to appeals to apply for accreditation between October 2003 and June 2004. Poslec SETA received information that the general view amongst people qualified to offer firearm training was that the "Firearms legislation was unlikely to be promulgated."
4. This was also the view of the S.A. Gunowners Association, communicated to its members via e-mail.
5. Poslec SETA geared itself for a training provider "rush" that never materialised.
6. From early June 2004, and more specifically after 1 July 2004, potential training providers were applying at the rate of about 10 per week. By the end of August 2004 this figure had declined to 8 per week.
7. As at 30 August 2004, Poslec SETA has accredited 63 firearm training providers. There are a further 70 applications in various stages of evaluation currently with the SETA.

1. After a number of discussions with CFR, it was decided that Poslec SETA would certificate competent learners (firearms licence applicants) as it does for all other learners who gain unit standard or qualification credits within its scope.
2. The sheer volume of firearm learners (new gun licence applicants as well as renewals of existing licences) required Poslec SETA to fund the development of a database programme to deal with the certification process, which includes a verification service and electronic interface.
3. In addition, the South African Qualification Authority needed to approve a fee for the issue of certificates since the Poslec SETA did not have the funds to pay for a service that extends beyond its stakeholder group. (SAQA requires all SETAs to issue certificates with a foil hologram to minimise fraud.)
4. The cost of each certificate will be R20,00.
5. The certificates of proficiency (called Learner Achievement Certificates) can be issued within the next two weeks to new gun licence applicants.
6. Certificates for the purpose of a renewal of an existing firearm licence can be issued by the end of September 2004.

The process that will be followed is depicted in the flow chart over the page.

Chief Executive Officer

Poslec SETA

7 September 2004.